Speed limit reversal likely to affect hundreds of South Auckland roads

A South Auckland councillor wants safe alternatives to be provided if the Government goes ahead with plans to reverse speed limit reductions on roads around the country.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown recently announced plans to reverse the previous Government’s blanket approach to speed reduction across Aotearoa, with a new Land Transport Rule expected by the end of 2024.

In Auckland, the speed limits were dropped for more than 3100 roads across rural areas, town centres and near schools.

Manukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina said the speed changes he was involved with prioritised community safety.

“It already works,” Filipaina said.

“If [the] Government is saying there are other ways to do this, then tell us.

“If you’re going to cancel one thing, you need to put another plan in place and right now we’re waiting to see what their alternatives are.”

Filipaina said he feared the changes that may happen if Auckland Transport’s safe speed programme is undone.

Maukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina wants the Government to bring in alternative safety measures to compensate for its reversal of speed limit reductions. Photo / Brett Phibbs

“What I do agree with is looking at evidence-based work, everything needs to be done from that perspective.”

In 2022, more than 100 roads in South Auckland were included in phase 2 of Auckland Transport’s Safe Speed Programme.

This included 10 streets in the Ōtara town centre and 44 roads in Manurewa, with 50km/h limits reduced to 30km/h, and 50 rural roads with 100km/h limits reduced to 80km/h.

Some rural roads, such as Ardmore Quarry Rd in Ardmore, and Aiken Rd and Aldridge Rd in Hunua, dropped from 100km/h to 60km/h.

Ambush Rd in Ramarama, Brodie Rd in Clevedon, Caitcheon Rd and Laurie Drive in Hunua were reduced from 100km/h to 40km/h.

Auckland Transport group manager transport safety Teresa Burnett said the agency was yet to know the full implications of the Government’s planned changes.

“Our teams will have a better idea of what the changes will mean for South Auckland once the draft rule is released for consultation,” she said.

She said they had taken a careful, targeted approach to setting safe speed limits for a range of Auckland roads since 2020.

All were supported by the community, she added.

“Every speed limit change that has taken place in Auckland since 2020 has involved an individual analysis of the safety conditions of that particular stretch of road.”

Brown said the Government would look at economic impacts - including travel times - and the views of road users and local communities, alongside safety, when new speed limits are set.

“The previous Government’s untargeted approach resulted in blanket speed limit reductions across the country, rather than targeting high crash areas of the network.

“The new rule will lead to blanket speed limit reductions being reversed by the end of next year, except where it is unsafe.

“It is critical that we have the right settings in place to boost economic growth and improve road safety, enabling Kiwis to get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.